Trolley.



No. 65l,40l. Patented vlune [2, I900.

J. H, WALKER.

1 TBOLLEY.

(Application filed July 28, 1899 (No Model.)

WITNESSES WENT v THE- Noam PETER5 co. rumo-Lrmo WASHINGTON. n c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY \VALKER, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,401, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed July 28, 1899. Serial No. 725,386. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern-.- v

Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY WALKER, of Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Trolley Pole Harp and Trolley- Wire Oatch Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable, and efiective construction of trolley-pole harp and means for catching and directing a trolley-wire into the groove of a trolley-wheel.

Afurther object of the invention is to so construct a device of the character described that protracted cold weather of any kind will be only a slight impediment to the practical working of the same, as the exposed surfaces and bearings of the device are so arranged as to afford the ice but little chance to accumulate in the joints.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of trolley-pole harp and catch device so that not only a large percentage of the wear and tear of the trolley wire and wheel are saved, but also the occasional expense caused by pulling down the wires and breakage of suspension-poles. Furthermore, by the use of the improved device accidents that might occur may be in a great measure avoided, and the device is so simple and so readily operated that an inexperienced man or boy can accurately adjust trolley-wires into the grooves of trolley-wheels without delay.

The invention consists V in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of theimproved device. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device, a portion of theharp being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the guide mechanism at rest within the harp.

The sides of the harp A are made to diverge near the upper end of the said harp, and at the upper end of each side member 10 of the harp a disk 11 is formed, together with an attached or integral sleeve or boss 12 of less diameter than the disk. The trolleywheel 13 is mounted between the two sleeves or bosses 12 and upon a pin 14, that extends loosely through one sleeve and disk and is screwed into the opposite disk and sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2. The pivot-pin is prevented from turning by passing a cotterpin 15 through the disk 11 adjacent to the head of the pivot-pin and through the latter pin, as is also shown in Fig. 2. The head of the pivot-pin 14 is usually provided with indentations or recesses 14:, adapted to receive. a spanner, screw-driver, or like form of tool.

A guide-frame B is provided in connection with the trolley-wheel 13. This guide-frame consists of two side pieces 16, that are upwardly and forwardly curved,as show-n in Fig. 1, and a connecting-plate 17,which unites the said pieces at their upper ends. This coninecting-plate is concave and is given a downward and forward inclination, as shown in Fig. 2. The side pieces or arms 16 of, the guide-frame B are loosely mounted on the sleeves or bosses 12 of the harp and extend belowthe same, while at the upper end of each side member 16 of the frame ears 19 are formed, and each side piece of said frame B is adapted to receive guide-arms 20. These guide-arms are curved outwardly in opposite directions from their connection with the guide-frame, but are provided with inwardlycurved or hook-shaped upper ends 21. Each guide-arm 20 is bifurcated at its lower end, thus providing an opening 22 at its lower portion, as shown in Fig. 1, and the lower ends of the members of the guide-arms are made to engage with theears 19. The guide-arms 20 are provided with lugs 24: at their bottom portions, and these lugs engage with the outer faces of the sides of the guide-frame B when the guide-arms are in their outer or normal position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Inwardlyextending lugs 23 are likewise formed upon the inner walls of the bifurcated members of the said arms, as shown in Fig. 1, and the guide-arms 20 are pivotally attached to the guide-frame B by means of bolts 25, loosely passed through the bifurcated members of the guide-arms and through the aforesaid ears 19.

normal or outer position by means of springs The guide-arms 20 are held in their 26, coiled around the bolts 25 between the ears 19, and one endof each spring has bearing against a side of the guide-frame B, while the other end of the spring is made to rest against one of the lugs 23, carried by the said guide-arms, as shown in Fig. 1. These springs 26 permit either arm to be bent in direction of the other and return the arms to their normal position when released.

A yoke 27 is pivotally attached to the lower ends of the guide-frame B, and the yoke is provided with a staple 28, which receivesan eye 29, the eye having a swivel engagement with a clamp 30, arranged to receive the upper end of the trolley-arm 0r harp-rope 31. When the rope 31 is free, the guide-arm and guideframe t'all forward by gravity and drop within the extended portion of the harp, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l and in positive lines in Fig. 3, and a portion of the frame B and a portion of the guide-arms 20, connected with the frame, rest upon supportingflanges a, formed upon the inner faces of the sides 10 of the harp when the frame and arms have dropped into the harp, as shown in Fig. I

In operation when it is necessary to find, catch, and adjust trollcywire into the groove of a trolley-wheel the harp is drawn down by the trolley-pole rope or cord 31, and by the same movement the guide-frame B is carried upward over the trolley-wheel and the guidearms are brought to the vertical position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at which time the pivot bolts or pins 25 of the guide-arms 20 will be practically in alinement with the outer peripheral portions of the trolley-wheel13. While maintaining the guide-arms in their upper position through the medium of the rope 31 the harp is permitted to rise to such height that its sides may be brought in engagement with the trolley-wire by the sidewise movement of the harp executed through the medium of the aforesaid rope 31. The harp is then drawn downward, and the trolley-wire will engage with the outer face of one of the guide-arms 20, and by continuing to force the harp in direction of the trolleywire said wire will carry the guide-arm with which it engages downward until the hook end of the arm enters the opening 22 of the opposing arm, whereupon the trolley-Wire will slip from the arm with which it was in engagement and will be caught by the hook portion 21 of the opposite guide-arm, while the depressed guide-arm will be instantly restored to its normal position by means of its spring 26. The harp is then permitted to rise, which will bring the trolley-wire centrally between the two guide-arms and-upon the connecting-plate 17 of the guide-frame, and as soon as the rope 31 is relieved from tension the guide-frame and its arms 20 will drop to their lower position within the harp, and the trolley-wire will be in engagement with the grooved portion of the trolley-Wheel.

The trolley-harp can be used successfully either as a separate and distinct device or in combination with the catch mechanism described, as may be desired, since the shape of the harp prevents it cut-angling with or getting foul of trolley or suspension wires, as often happens when the standard harp is employed.

It will be observed that the widest portion of the harp is at a distance from the end at which the trolley is journaled, the members of the harp converging toward said end. The widened portion of the harp is therefore likely to first come into contact with wires or other obstructions and to hold the trolley away therefrom, thus preventing entanglement.

It will be understood that the inclination of the plate 17, connecting the side members of the guide-frame B, is such that the said plate conforms to the curvature of the groove in the trolley-wheel 13.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A trolleypole harp, a trolleywheel mounted in the upper end of the said harp, the harp being open adjacent to the trolleywheel and its sides expanded, and a guide device pivotally mounted adjacent to the trolley-wheel and the upper ends of which are arranged to drop by gravityinto the expanded portion of the harp.

2. The combination, with a trolley-pole harp, a trolley-wheel mounted at the upper end of said harp, and upwardly-extending flanges at the side portions of the harp adjacent to the trolley-wheel, of a guide-frame pivotally mounted at each side of the said trolley-wheel, spring-controlled guide-arms pivotally attached to said frame, theupper ends of the arms being inwardly curved, and a trolley-pole rope connected with the said frame, the guide-frame and guide-arms being adapted to normally lie within the harp upon the flanges of the same.

3. The combination, with a trolleypole harp, bearings located at the outer ends of the said harp, a shaft held stationary inthe said bearings, and a trolley-wheel mounted upon the said shaft between the bearings, of a guide-frame mounted to turn loosely on the bearings straddling the trolley-wheel, said guide consisting of side pieces and an upper section concaved and curved proportionately to the curvature of the curved portion of the trolley-wheel, guide-arms pivotally attached to the upperportion of the said guide-frame, tension devices normally holding said arms outward in opposite directions, the upper end of each arm being curved, the said frame and guide-arms being adapted to drop Within the harp, a support for the said frame and arms located within the harp, and means for car rying the arms and frame to the upper posi tion, as described.

4:. The combination, with a trolley-pole harp, bearings located at the outer ends of the said harp, a shaft held. stationary in the mounted on the bearin gs for the trolley-Wheel,

and an upper connectingplate curved to conform to the groove in the periphery of the trolley-Wheel, tension-controlled guide-arms having bifurcated lower ends pivotally attached to the upper side portions of the guideframe, said guide-arms being inclined outwardly in opposite directions from their pivots and forwardly inclined at their upper ends, ayoke connected with the lower portion of said guide-frame, and a rope connected with said yoke, as described.

5. The combination with a trolley-pole and its trolley-Wheel, of a guide-frame pivoted to the pole about a horizontal axis and having a transverse member extending into the same vertical plane with the trolley and adapted to engage the trolley-wire and guide-arms pivoted to the end of the said transverse meinber about longitudinal axes.

6. The combination with a trolley-pole and its trolley-wheel, of a guide-frame pivoted to the pole about a horizontal axis extending transversely, and guide-arms pivoted to said frame about axes extending longitudinally the free ends of the said arms being projected inwardly to form hooks.

7. The combination with a trolley-pole and its trolley-wheel, of a guide-frame pivoted to the pole about a horizontal axis and having a transverse member with a centrally-depressed upper surface to engage the trolleywire, and guide-arms pivoted to said guideframe at the ends of its transverse member to swing in a transverse plane.

JOHN HENRY WALKER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. BILLINGSLEY, THOMAS J. HAMILTON. 

